Category: Viral

Following the death of Chadwick Boseman that left the world in mourning, his Black Panther co-star, Lupita Nyong’o, has shared a lengthy and touching tribute to the late actor. Inspired by the life lessons that Boseman taught her during the time together on the Marvel hit, Nyong’o revealed that she’s struggled to accept his passing, but she’s finding a way forward by remembering Boseman’s dedication to not wasting a second of life.

“It doesn’t make sense,” Nyong’o wrote on Instagram. “The news of his passing is a punch to my gut every morning. I am aware that we are all mortal, but you come across some people in life that possess an immortal energy, that seem like they have existed before, that are exactly where they are supposed to be – here! That seem ageless. Chadwick was one of those people.”

Echoing tributes from director Ryan Coogler and Black Panther star Letitia Wright, Nyong’o spoke glowingly about Boseman’s presence even before filming. He was at every audition and every fight training, pushing his co-stars just by his presence. “He set the bar high by working with a generosity of spirit, creating an ego-free environment by sheer example, and he always had a warm gaze an a strong embrace to share,” Nyong’o wrote. “His large hands would descend on my shoulders and give them a squeeze that relieved me of the tensions I did not realize I was holding. Chadwick’s hands were strong enough to carry the weight of the film and free enough to clasp mine when I needed it.”

Nyong’o also revealed a surprising side of Boseman. “He used his mouth to build, to edify, never to break. And he used it to tell some regrettably lame dad jokes.”

After praising Boseman for his deep love for humanity and his people, Nyong’o ended her tribute with a challenge for others to follow in Boseman’s footsteps. “Chadwick’s death is something that I can neither take in nor take in my stride right now. Perhaps with time… I’m going to take my time… and in his honor, I promise not to waste my time. I hope you will do the same.”

You can see Lupita Nyong’o’s full tribute to Chadwick Boseman below:

(Via Lupita Nyong’o on Instagram)

R. Kelly was reportedly the victim of an attack last week while in his prison cell at Chicago’s Metropolitan Correctional Center. Kelly’s attorney Steven Greenberg confirmed the singer was sitting on his bed when another prisoner walked in and “started punching the crap” out of him. Now, Kelly is claiming he was aware of the attack’s premeditation and warned the prison guards, but they ignored him.

According to a report from TMZ, Greenberg said Kelly was aware of the alleged attack three weeks prior to the incident when he heard the inmate detailing his plan over the phone. Greenberg states Kelly informed the prison guards of what he overheard the next day, but they didn’t take his concerns seriously.

Greenberg originally alleged the attack was carried out due to the prison being on lockdown because of people protesting Kelly’s verdict outside the jailhouse. Guards had reportedly announced the facility was on lockdown, meaning the inmates could not go outside. Kelly’s legal team insists the announcement was against protocol and led to the inmates becoming upset with Kelly.

Reports of the alleged attack are the latest news from Kelly’s case, following the New York Times‘ story that three of the singer’s associates set one of his accuser’s cars on fire to intimidate her. The incident wasn’t the first time Kelly’s team had reportedly used a similar intimidation tactic. Back in October of last year, Kelly was accused of sending threatening letters to his alleged victims and their families.

Colin Kaepernick is still without a job in the NFL, going on four seasons since his last snap once games begin this week. Kaepernick, who was effectively blackballed from the league for his protests of racism and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem, has continued to get looked off by teams seeking quarterback help.

This offseason, amid a resurgence of protests of police brutality and systemic racism across America and a shifting perception of the Black Lives Matter movement, NFL teams swore they would seriously look into bringing him in, but to this point that hasn’t happened. Roger Goodell has gone on record saying he supports a team signing Kaepernick, but as time wears on between NFL snaps the goalposts have shifted to questions about his readiness after years away from the game.

As for Kaepernick himself, he continues to do tremendous work as an activist and has inked deals with ESPN and Netflix as he expands into the media space. Still, he would like to make a return to the football field for a chance to continue a career that was cut short not for injury but for ignorance from the league, and it seems increasingly worrisome that chance may not come. For fans of Kaepernick, EA Sports announced on Tuesday that they had reached a deal with Kaepernick to bring him back to the virtual gridiron, adding him to the list of free agents in the game for Franchise and Play Now modes.

It’s good of EA to work with Kaepernick to add him to the game and as they note in their statement, he is still graded out in the game as a starting caliber quarterback and is the highest rated free agent QB at an 81 overall. Madden 21 certainly has plenty of things to work out and fix as a game, but adding Kaepernick is pretty cool and hopefully in future additions he won’t have to be a separate add on beyond those already on rosters.

Method Man is pretty busy defending Tasha Green-St. Patrick as high-profile attorney Davis Maclean in Power Book II: Ghost, but was able to pencil in some free time to get back to his rap roots with Conway The Machine in the latter’s video for “Lemon.” The video finds Meth swapping his clean-cut lawyer look for a bucket hat and Airpods as he delivers what NORE calls in a cameo sequence the “verse of the year.”

Meanwhile, the song’s principle artist Conway dons a ski mask for a menacing look as he posts up on the block outside a bodega with a squad of tough guys. He also sports bright flashes of yellow throughout the video, from a canary leather jacket to the detailing on his ski mask and matching monogrammed vest. Meth matches him with a yellow buffalo flannel (get it) and a pandemic-friendly face mask, pulled down so you can see his pearl whites as he slashes his way through his verse.

For now, the “Lemon” video is a Tidal Exclusive, but you can check out a preview below and enjoy the track as part of Conway’s new album From King To A God this Friday, September 11. The “Lemon” video is dedicated to the memory of the late DJ Shay, who helped Griselda Records early in their careers.

Watch Conway The Machine’s “Lemon” video featuring Method Man on Tidal.

From King To A God is out 9/11 via Drumwork/Griselda/EMPIRE.

Some of the moments that make us smile the most have come from everyday heroes, like our hardworking teachers.

Everyone could use a little morning motivation, so Crest – the #1 Toothpaste Brand in America – is teaming up with some popular digital all-stars to share their smile-worthy, positivity-filled (virtual) pep talks for this year’s back-to-school season!

As part of this campaign, Crest is donating toothpaste to Feeding America to unleash even more smiles for families who need it the most.

Let’s encourage confident smiles this back-to-school season. Check out Mr. McTiktok’s back-to-school pep talk above!

Every fall, we see a stark division among beer drinkers. Like cilantro, blue cheese, and Maroon 5, pumpkin beer is either loved or despised. There are no shades of gray here. Even in a community where IPA fans and haters are equally vehement, no beer style is as divisive as pumpkin brews.

Jeremy Allen, bartender at MiniBar in Los Angeles, sums up his distaste for the style by referencing the classic slasher movie Scream.

“Don’t answer the phone,” he says. “Don’t open the door! Don’t try to escape. You see what happened to Drew Barrymore in Scream? We tried to warn you, but you still wouldn’t listen. Who’s laughing now?”

Nathan Matusiewicz, bartender at Pajarito in Minneapolis believes that, while pumpkin beer works in theory, it rarely translates to a great tasting product.

“Pumpkin and beer reminds me of any time I hear about truffle oil being added to a dish,” he says. “On paper, it sounds like a genius no brainer amalgamation until you taste it and say: ‘I didn’t imagine it could taste so bad!’”

But while the anti-pumpkin movement is out in full force yet again, that doesn’t mean there aren’t folks who look forward to this style every autumn. To find a few beers that even pumpkin haters might want to test, we asked a handful of bartenders to tell us their picks for pumpkins beers that actually aren’t trash.

Two Roads Roadsmary’s Baby

Nico Diaz, owner of CRFT Cocktail Catering Service in New Hope, Pennsylvania

The only pumpkin beer I’ve ever tried without immediately wanting to throw it away was Roadsmary’s Baby by Two Roads. It’s aged in rum barrels, giving it flavors of vanilla and caramel, on top of the pumpkin.

Marble Pumpkin Noir

Timmie Hoffman, bartender at Salt7 in Delray Beach, Florida

The one and only Marble Brewery’s pumpkin Nior. It is brewed with pumpkin and yams and the flavor is not lacking. It also has incredible spice flavors but it’s not too overwhelming.

This is a darker beer that is rich and creamy and tastes like they packed fresh (not fake) pumpkin, yams, spices, and caramelized sugar into all the cans. It’s seriously incredible.

Noda Gordgeous

Eli Privette, bartender at Dogwood: A Southern Table in Charlotte, North Carolina

Noda Brewing Gordeous — a sour pumpkin beer that to me is as good as they get. This Gold Medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival is full of real pumpkin, brown sugar, and a proprietary spice blend.

Schlafly Pumpkin Ale

Meredith Barry, executive beverage chef of Angad Arts Hotel in St. Louis

Schafly’s Pumpkin Ale still tastes like a beer and not like liquid pumpkin pie. That’s pretty much the best way to differentiate between good and bad pumpkin beers.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

Benjamin Burch, bartender at The Nolen in San Diego

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale. This is one of the classics in the style and they just get it right. It is super well-balanced. It incorporates the spices and pumpkin so well, but it still tastes like beer. And most importantly? I can drink a couple of them and still like them.

Punkin Ales aren’t too alcoholic, they aren’t too sweet, they don’t have too much spice. It’s just beer done right.

New Holland Ichabod

Rebecah Hunter, bartender at The Monarch Club in Detroit

New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale from Holland, Michigan. The taste is not the overly malty potpourri that some would expect of a pumpkin-spice beer. That’s a good thing.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead

Eva Al-Gharaballi, bartender at Datz in St. Petersburg, Florida

I have been drinking Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale for years. This pumpkin-wheat ale is crisp and refreshing while giving you all of the cinnamon and spice that you want out of a fall beverage. I prefer to drink it in a chilled glass with a caramel and cinnamon-sugar rim.

Elysian Night Owl

Mig Feliciano, head bartender and mixologist at the Hollywood Roosevelt in Los Angeles

Night Owl by Elysian Brewery out of Seattle, Washington is a great pumpkin beer. It’s surprisingly not heavy and the pumpkin flavor doesn’t overpower it. It’s perfect for a Halloween party, thanksgiving, or if you just love pumpkin.

Dope name for a beer too.

Southern Tier Warlock

Damian Langarica, head bartender at a.bar in Philadelphia

For this one, I’m going to go with Southern Tier Brewery, which makes two types of pumpkin beers. Pumking, for those who really love that pumpkin pie flavor, and the Warlock, an imperial stout brewed with pumpkin and spices, for those who are looking for more richness and sweetness

Saint Arnold Pumpkinator

Emmanuelle Massicot, assistant GM and beverage director of Kata Robata in Houston

Saint Arnold’s Pumpkinator. I consider this the OG of pumpkin beers, especially as a Houstonian. And as an imperial stout, the combination with the pumpkin gives it a pleasant richness.

Samuel Adams Jack-O

Marta De La Cruz Marrero, food and beverage supervisor of Burlock Coast in Fort Lauderdale

Samuel Adams Jack-O because it’s very smooth and has a roast sweetness, light hop character. It’s just a great fall beer. Bonus points because the pumpkin flavor isn’t overwhelming.

Elysian The Great Pumpkin

Tommy Ergle, bar manager at Dr. BBQ in St. Petersburg, Florida

One of the only pumpkin beers I grab at the store is Elysian’s The Great Pumpkin. They actually use locally sourced pumpkins in their mash for this beer that really gives it such a fresh, unmatched fall-flavor profile.

The Arizona Cardinals made a big splash this offseason when they traded for Texans star receiver DeAndre Hopkins in a deal that somehow only cost them David Johnson and a second round pick.

The All-Pro receiver offered a bridge from the Cardinals Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald to the future for young quarterback Kyler Murray, and suddenly gave Kliff Kingsbury plenty of toys to expand his passing attack in Arizona. The Texans clearly weren’t interested in giving Hopkins big money to be the top target for Deshaun Watson, but the Cardinals were more than happy to fork over big cash to the star receiver.

On Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Hopkins had negotiated a contract extension with Arizona for two years and $54.5 million, bringing his average salary over the next five to $18.8 million, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

There’s a voidable second year on the extension, but he also gets no-trade and no-franchise tag clauses, per Rapoport, meaning he’ll have plenty of freedom in five to seek out even more money while still in his prime. The Cardinals lock down a superstar receiver for the foreseeable future to give Murray the ultimate safety net, and do so while paying Murray rookie QB money rather than big QB extension money. It’s a smart use of cap space and makes tons of football sense, and the Cardinals will hope the partnership with those two can be very fruitful.

Lana Del Rey is gearing up for the release of her studio album Chemtrails Over The Country Club. While the singer continues to be vague about the record’s release date, she recently chatted with her producer, Jack Antonoff, about the record for Interview Magazine. Throughout their conversation, Lana discussed some of the upcoming album’s themes, how she’s holding up in quarantine, and the time she went clubbing with Joan Baez.

Lana and Antonoff chatted on the phone while the singer was driving across the country, the perfect setting to discuss her Americana influences. At the start of the interview, Lana recalled the time she performed a duet with the iconic singer Joan Baez, saying they even went clubbing together afterwards:

“On the last tour, we went to Berkeley and I really wanted to do ‘Diamonds And Rust’ with Joan, and she was kind enough to accommodate me. Nobody necessarily wants to show up to do a giant show for 15,000 kids at Berkeley, but she told me that if I’d drive out 80 miles from Berkeley, then we could practice at her kitchen table, and if it was good, she would do it. So that’s what I did. She corrected me on all my harmonies, and by the end, it was great. Then we went out clubbing to this Afro-Caribbean two-step place and danced all night. She f*cking outlasted me.”

Speaking about her upcoming music, Lana said she had been “really stressed” about the album: “I’ve been really stressed about this album. From the top, we knew what Norman was. But with Chemtrails, it was like, ‘Is this new folk? Oh, god, are we going country?’ Now that it’s done I feel really good about it, and I think a defining moment for this album will be ‘White Dress/Waitress.’”

The singer continued to revealed a bit of the theme behind Chemtrails, saying she wrote the title track about striving to be normal: “I hear Chemtrails and I think “work,” but I also think of my stunning girlfriends, who so much of the album is about, and my beautiful siblings. ‘Chemtrails’ is the title track because it mentions them all and it mentions wanting so much to be normal and realizing that when you have an overactive, eccentric mind, a record like Chemtrails is just what you’re going to get.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Lana opened up about how the pandemic has been affecting her mental health:

“I’ll say, ‘Today was a bad day and it’s because of you, and I don’t even know you anymore.’ I don’t necessarily think there’s much value in doing that—it’s just what’s true. I don’t ever feel bad for saying to someone, ‘I’m having a panic attack because of what you’ve done.’ That’s black-belt life, like 3.0. What’s insane is that the pandemic has brought up all of these mental health crises and domestic crises that were always there, that I always sang about, that people had so much to say about in terms of, ‘She’s just feigning emotional fragility.’ And it’s like, ‘Well, not really. You’re feigning emotional togetherness despite the fact that you’re a wack-job Monday through Friday. […] But now that you can’t go shopping, you have to look at your partner and be like, ‘I’ve lived with you for 20 years, but do I even know you?’ You realize maybe you’ve only ever allowed yourself to scratch the surface of yourself because if you went any deeper, you might have a mild meltdown for no reason, just out of the blue, and no amount of talking could explain why. It’s just a part of your genetic makeup. You could just be prone to panic. I think a lot of people are that way. I got a lot of shit for not only talking about it, but talking about lots of other things for a super long time. I don’t feel justified in it, because I’m not the kind of artist who’s ever going to get justified.’”

Read the full interview with Antonoff here.

This week the best new pop music saw high-profile releases along with several up-and-coming artists making a big splash. SZA teamed up with Ty Dolla Sign for a single that hits different, BTS debuted another dance floor-ready track, and Finneas returned to show off his romantic side.

Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop music. Listen up.

SZA — “Hit Different” feat. Ty Dolla Sign

With SZA releasing her first solo music since her debut full-length Ctrl, it’s sure to make Uproxx’s best new pop list. The singer tapped Ty Dolla Sign for the slow-burning number where SZA showcases her feathery vocals and details the highs of a healthy relationship.

BTS — “IONIQ: I’m On It”

BTS just achieved a No. 1 for their first all-English song “Dynamite,” and now they’re back — this time for a car commercial. Debuting the single to promote a new Hyundai car, the K-pop supergroup serves up groovy beats and feel-good tunes with the shimmering tune.

Finneas — “What They’ll Say About Us”

While he may be most well known for his production work on his sister Billie Eilish’s music, Finneas is full of romance in his new single “What They’ll Say About Us.” Over emotive piano chords, Finneas pens a heartwarming love story, transforming it into a moving ballad.

Gus Dapperton — “Medicine”

Gus Dapperton is gearing up for the release of his sophomore record Orca. So far, the singer has previewed the record with two lush singles and now, Dapperton returns with his “favorite” song on the album, “Medicine.” In a statement alongside the single’s release, Dapperton said: “This track defines the album most explicitly. I wrote it as a song that would narrate my life. ‘Medicine’ is about someone who is self destructive so that they can get high off of the process of healing. the hurting phase is of no concern to them.”

Ozuna — “Del Mar” Feat. Doja Cat, Sia

Puerto Rican reggaeton star tapped Sia and Doja Cat for the rhythmic single “Del Mar.” While the song marked the first time either Sia or Doja Cat has ever sung in Spanish, the two singers’ effortlessly deliver each lyric over a hip-swinging beat.

Jawsh 685 — “Sweet & Sour” Feat. Lauv, Tyga

After making a name for himself with the Jason Derulo collaboration “Savage Love,” 17-year-old New Zealand-born producer Jawsh 685 called on Lauv and Tyga for the sugarcoated single “Sweet & Sour.” The track combines a punchy beat with Lauv’s sincere vocal delivery and Tyga’s heartfelt musings.

Ava Max — “OMG What’s Happening”

Ava Max continues to prepare for her debut album Heaven & Hell, which arrives in full next week. Giving fans one last taste of the revved-up release, Ava Max shares the buoyant single “OMG What’s Happening” featuring a club-ready backbeat, expertly-layered production, and her far-reaching vocals.

VanJess — “Come Over”

Sister duo VanJess asserts their dominance with the swooning number “Come Over.” In a statement, VanJess said they were inspired by their roots for the laid-back single: “Early in quarantine we were really inspired looking at old photos of our parents in Nigeria and thought about what being at home living the lyrics of this record would look like in their world. We hope this song makes everyone feel good and dance, we believe energy and soul and tempo still has a place in R&B!”

Yuna — “Invisible”

Yuna shared her defiant studio album Rouge last summer, but that hasn’t stopped the singer from releasing even more music. Returning with “Invisible,” Yuna croons an indelible ballad. “The song is about falling in love with someone, but the other person doesn’t see you,” Yuna said about the song in a statement. “It’s about what that feels like to deal with those emotions. Regardless, you keep falling for them and loving them from afar.”

Michi — “Escondida”

Michi returns with the soaring song “Escondida,” her first song in Spanish. “The value of solitude, even outside these testing times of quarantine, are what pushed me to bring ‘Escondida’ out of hiding,” Michi said about the single. “I’ve always leaned on the company of others to fill a void or distract myself, but it wasn’t until these last two years and the start of my project that I felt connected to being alone, even if with my thoughts, regrets, memories both good and bad.”

Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

If you’re familiar with Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad director James Gunn‘s oeuvre, then you know that the man works with profanity like some artists work with watercolors. He’s also a prolific Twitter user, so recently, Gunn combined his two passions by crowdsourcing the correct spelling for, ahem, “asshat.”

According to Gunn’s tweet, the writer/director wanted to use the term in his latest script, but he ran into a good question. Is asshat hyphenated or unhyphenated? After turning to Google, Gunn learned that opinions are split, so he started a Twitter poll to settle the matter once for all.

As over 48,000 Twitter users shared their preferred spelling for “asshat,” Gunn fielded questions on the preferred spelling for some other profanities. While revealing what the term “scumbucket” really means, Gunn shared an anecdote about why he was forced to remove the word “dork” from a PG script. Turns out the childhood taunt isn’t just another name for a nerd.

Once the poll closed, the results were clear: “Asshat” is one word, no hyphen, and Gunn made sure to tag the Merriam-Webster Dictionary so they could properly note this very important distinction for future generations.

After his brief foray into exploring the proper grammar of everyday profanities, Gunn returned to discussing The Suicide Squad, which marks his first collaboration with DC Comics after delivering the smash hit Guardians of the Galaxy movies for Marvel. According to Gunn, he doesn’t make it a practice to write roles with a specific actor in mind, but he couldn’t resist when it came to Idris Elba who plays Bloodsport in the upcoming sequel slash quasi-reboot.

“You went beyond my expectations as an actor AND as a human being,” Gunn wrote in a tweet celebrating Elba’s birthday.

(Via James Gunn on Twitter)